In the lighting industry, it is desirable to produce a lighting system (e.g., general or special purpose illumination for aiding human viewing of objects and environments) that has low electrical consumption, produces high light (lumen) output, is long lasting, and is highly versatile. As such, there is a need to move away from traditional and present day lighting units (often referred to as “lamps” or even “bulbs”). For example, lighting units such as incandescent lighting units (e.g., standard metal filament and halogen lighting units) consume relatively large amounts of power as compared to the lumens produced. Although fluorescent lighting units (e.g., cold cathode and hot cathode fluorescent lighting units) have been developed, which provide higher efficacy (e.g. higher lumen output per watt) as compared to incandescent lighting units, such fluorescent lighting units generally include hazardous materials (e.g., mercury) and thus pose an environmental threat. Moreover, such fluorescent lighting units require a current limiter (referred to as a ballast), making them more costly to install initially than incandescent lighting units and limiting the configurations in which they may be used.
The aforementioned lighting units as available today, regardless of the particular light emission technology employed (e.g., incandescent, fluorescent, etc.) generally lack versatility. Each such lighting unit is provided in relatively few form factors with limited numbers of electrical connection configurations and orientations. For example, if a user purchases a typical incandescent lighting unit the form factor generally comprises a globe type convenient for use in a desk lamp or residential overhead lighting fixture, such an incandescent lighting unit is not well suited for situations where light distributed over an area is needed (e.g., backlit sign lighting). Likewise, such an incandescent lighting unit cannot be made to work adequately in many lighting fixture configurations (e.g., commercial ceiling panel lighting fixtures). If a user purchases a typical linear fluorescent lighting unit, the form factor generally comprises a tube type configuration having a bi-pin electrical connector at each end thereof. Although convenient for use in a commercial ceiling panel lighting fixture or backlit sign, such a fluorescent lighting unit is not well suited for situations where a relatively small lighting unit is needed. For example, even ignoring the difference in electrical connectors, the user would not be able to install the tube type fluorescent lighting unit into a traditional desk lighting fixture, which was designed to accept incandescent bulbs, because the long tube will be too large to fit within the desk lighting fixture. Moreover, the bi-pin electrical connectors of the fluorescent lighting unit and its requirement for a ballast will typically prevent its retrofitting into the desk lighting fixture. As such, the aforementioned lighting units lack versatility.
In the mid to late 1990's the lighting industry experienced the mass introduction of the compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) into the marketplace. CFL lighting units provide fluorescent lighting units in a form factor and having electrical connections adapted to be interchangeable with particular incandescent lighting unit form factors. Such CFL lighting units, although providing higher efficiency in a form factor compatible with some incandescent lighting units, suffer from issues associated with both typical incandescent lighting units and typical fluorescent lighting units. For example, the CFL lighting units continue to present an environmental threat, as do other fluorescent lighting units, and are not well suited for situations where light distributed over an area is needed, as with incandescent lighting units. Similar to the situation with a typical incandescent lighting unit, if a user purchases a CFL lighting unit, the user would not be able to connect the CFL lighting unit into a traditional fluorescent lighting fixture because the form factor and electrical connection configuration are wrong for the lighting fixture. As such, while CFL lighting units may bring increased energy efficiency to lighting fixtures adapted to use traditional incandescent lighting units, such CFL lighting units continue to lack versatility. That is, CFL lighting units, as do the other aforementioned lighting units, have a fixed configuration that limit the versatility of the lighting units.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, various forms of lighting units (e.g., different form factors, different connector configurations, different light emission technology, etc.) must be stocked by or otherwise accessible to lighting system distributors, contractors, workers, and users for use in installing and/or maintaining present day lighting systems. For example, a lighting system distributor may need to stock a plurality of incandescent lighting unit configurations, including various form factors (e.g., different globe shapes and sizes) having various electrical connectors (e.g., different base and conductor configurations) using various technologies (e.g., different filament materials). The lighting system distributor may further need to stock a plurality of fluorescent lighting unit configurations, including various form factors (e.g., different globe shapes and sizes) having various electrical connectors (e.g., different base and conductor configurations) using various technologies (e.g., different cathode configurations). The number of different forms of lighting units such a lighting system distributor would need to purchase, manage, and support can thus become quite large and difficult to adequately control. Such difficulties to a greater or lesser extent are similarly experienced by all persons and entities dealing with lighting systems.
A recent development in the lighting system industry has been the introduction of light emitting diode (LED) lighting units capable of producing white light. While lighting systems implementing LED lighting units are a step toward more efficiency as compared to traditional lighting systems, such LED lighting unit lighting systems have heretofore lacked versatility. The circuit boards, which enable the use of the LEDs, are traditionally hardwired to power supplies and to each other. Many circuit boards are designed in such a way that one circuit board cannot be connected to another circuit board without costly and time consuming wiring. As such, once a lighting system comprising LED lighting units is wired together, the lighting system cannot be easily reconfigured much less repaired. Moreover, even if one circuit board is compatible for connection to another circuit board, the orientation and position of each required connection limits the manner in which the circuit boards can be connected and configured. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,649 discloses a circuit board with only four permanently set and unmovable connection points. As such, the design of the circuit board restricts the configuration options of the lighting system, thereby limiting the versatility of the lighting systems. Furthermore, lighting systems employing LED lighting units are difficult if not impossible to replace when one or more LEDs fail, and usually the entire lighting fixture needs replacement when a mere component of the lighting system fails.